Trail-Running Shoes Buying Guide

Head out for a long run in these Merrell trail-running shoes. They hold up through changing weather with a quick-dry construction. The Vibram® Megagrip outsoles offer traction when things get slick.
Imported.
View all Merrell Men's Trail-Running ShoesBest Use | Trail Running |
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Trail-Running Shoe Type | Rugged-Trail |
Running Shoe Cushioning | Moderate Cushion |
Heel-to-Toe Drop (mm) | 4 |
Heel Stack Height (mm) | 23.5 |
Forefoot Stack Height (mm) | 19.5 |
Footwear Height | Ankle |
Footwear Closure | Lace-up |
Upper | Breathable mesh and TPU |
Lining | Mesh |
Midsole | FloatPro Foam |
Outsole | Vibram Megagrip rubber |
Rock Plate | No |
Vegan | Yes |
Weight (Pair) | 1 lb. 3.39 oz. |
Gender | Men's |
Sustainability | Contains recycled materials |
7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 | 15 | |
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U.S. Men's | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
UK | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 |
EU | 40 | 41 | 41.5 | 42 | 43 | 43.5 | 44 | 44.5 | 45 | 46 | 46.5 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 |
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FedRx delivery 4pm Fri night. On trail 7am following morning (Chapin to Chiquita to Ypsilon in Rocky Mtn National Park). By 9:30am (on peak 2) I already noticed abrasion wear & rips forming on outside pinky toes. Less than 24hrs & they failed. While on my 1st run. And this trail is chill compared to most high mountain (+12,000' and above) trails. Wow. They are comfortable, they run big and are roomy in the toe box, but I can't recommend as this is an obvious non-starter.
First runs it’s a solid shoe. In the first three runs I’ve thrown about everything but snow and deep mud. Handles great, breathes/drains well, and really grips on to most everything. The fit around the midfoot is nice and snug, while still having plenty of wiggle rooms at the toes. I’ve not tested the toe bumper yet but there is one. It does not to seem as robust as that on a cascadia but different style shoe. This is going on the the list of racing trail shoes for me. I’m a fairly average front middle pack runner. Biggest concern I have is durability. The lugs will be fine, not sure about the upper. Time will tell. Typically I get 600+ miles out of any shoe, so lets see how it goes!
Thank you for your great comments.
Awesome shoes! Perform very well in often difficult terrain.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
This is a great shoe: it’s light, well-ventilated, stable, and grippy. The insole isn’t as cushioned or thick as the Agility Peak 5, but it feels more connected to the Earth. This really is a purpose built trail runner. Sure, it can do mall or casual duty. But it’s meant for the trail. The outsole is soft, grippy rubber. But beware: much like sticky, high performance tires these soles wear out a bit faster on concrete and asphalt than shoes with a harder rubber. There’s always trade offs, but for this one you get great grip. The shoe is also visually striking and appealing. My only reservation is price. But if you can find it on sale you’ll get a great bargain.
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Comfy light grippy Light agile shoes good for mountain trails to road running. These are my go anywhere and do anything shoes
Being your favorite is our favorite! Thanks Jeremy!
I trained and raced in these for a trail 100k and I was pleased. We ran on mostly dirt and pine bed trails but plenty of roots, rocks, snow, rain and mud and these babies pushed through it all. They are not a padded sneaker but fit nicely on my feet. It took two shorter runs to get used to the less cushion sneaker but, in the trails, they felt perfect. The only reason I will not give a 5 star review is the tearing which turned into holes just inside of where your big toe is. It is exactly where the sneaker creases. See pictures. I did get 567 miles out of them which is great. I would be able to get more if they didn't rip. What is the warranty like for these? 😆
Thank you for sharing your review with us.
Initially I liked everything about this shoe - light, good tread, breathable, and comfortable. They have all the features for being a good ultra trail shoe. But after a month and about 100 miles, the upper blew out on both feet on the outside of the forefoot. The tread is barely worn. Merrell almost hit a home run with these, but it went foul. If Merrell fixes the durability issue, these could be a really great shoe.
We're sorry you are experiencing problems with your Merrells. Please contact the Merrell team at (800) 288-3124 or you can go to this link to start a defective product warranty claim: https://www.merrell.com/US/en/defectiveclaimform
A very firm ride is good on technical and soft trails. Not necessarily the best for mixed terrain that may include asphalt. Fit: (+) Nice wide toe box for those who prefer that (like me). Easy to feel secure and locked down. (-) Bootie fit. The bootie is significantly too tight in this shoe. It is both too small and to stiff of a material. No matter how loose the laces are, the shoe is just too tight over the top of the foot causing numbness to set in after a very short period of time. The Tongue: Merrell got this very wrong here. The tongue comes too far up into the curve of the ankle and is combined with an edging material that stretches less than the bootie causing it to curl downwards toward the foot. This causes the top of the tongue to dig into the foot/ankle junction. I found this very uncomfortable. Modifications are in order: Thankfully the material and construction of this shoe lend itself to easy modification. I trimmed the tongue back considerably to provide adequate clearance to the top of the foot and cut a series of relief slots in the bootie to give it more compliance. This has made the shoe much better for me.
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Amazing shoe with a great fit that’s true to size.
I have a few changes that need to be made about this upper. I know you make the Matyrx upper, but this product should not be left behind. I can take most of my shoes both trail and road to 500+ miles before I have major upper issues, but this one wasn’t even close. Sub 100 miles I had a hole on my right pinky toe. It has since widened now that I’m passed 150. Now what I love about this shoe and it looks like these are different on the matryx upper. The lock down with the guile style laces is amazing, nothing works that well for me. The breathability is also amazing although the inner mess could be a bit more fine to block sand. The outer mesh needs strengthened. I’d like to see it stay mesh though, it works extremely well. Midsole/outsole for what it’s designed for it perfect. It gives a very fast nimble feel that gives me confidence to rock hop down fast rocky terrain. With the cut outs it can take some rock hits from the perfect sized rock/root, but mostly protective. The outsole has a good thickness to absorb impact, and the cutouts are small enough to get around larger rocks, bigger enough not trap tiny rocks, and allows great flexiblity around the outsole. The durability of the upper though. Drops the shoe to a 6 from a 9